Golf club heads with optimized characteristics and related methods

Abstract

Embodiments of golf club heads with optimized characteristics presented herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A golf club head comprising:
 a head body comprising:
 a head front portion; a head rear portion; 
 a head heel portion; a head toe portion; 
 a head sole portion; a head top portion; and 
 a hosel structure having a bore for receiving a golf club shaft, the bore having a hosel axis; 
 
 a face portion at the head front portion and comprising:
 a strikeface centerpoint; 
 a strikeface perimeter; and 
 a face height bounded by the strikeface perimeter, the strikeface centerpoint positioned at a midpoint of the face height; 
 
 a head center of gravity; and 
 a weight structure located towards the sole portion and the rear portion of the head body, the weight structure having a weight center and protruding at least partially from an external contour of the head sole portion; 
 wherein:
 when the golf club head is at an address position over a ground plane:
 a head vertical axis extends through the head center of gravity and is orthogonal to the ground plane; and 
 a head horizontal axis extends through the head center of gravity, and is orthogonal to the head vertical axis; 
 
 a loft plane of the golf club head is tangent to the strikeface centerpoint; 
 a front plane of the golf club head extends through the strikeface centerpoint, parallel to the hosel axis, and orthogonal to the ground plane; 
 a head depth plane extends through the strikeface centerpoint, parallel to the head horizontal axis and perpendicular to the loft plane; 
 a CG height axis extends through the head center of gravity and intersects the head depth plane perpendicularly at a first intersection point; 
 a head CG height of the head center of gravity is measured, along the CG height axis, between the head center of gravity and the first intersection point; 
 a head CG depth of the head center of gravity is measured, parallel to the ground plane and orthogonal to the front plane, between:
 a second intersection point located at an intersection between the front plane and the ground plane; and 
 a third intersection point located at an intersection between the head vertical axis and the ground plane; 
 
 the head CG depth is approximately 25 mm to approximately 102 mm; 
 the face height is approximately 33 mm to approximately 71 mm, measured parallel to the loft plane; 
 a weight center elevation axis extends between the weight center and the ground plane, being orthogonal to the ground plane when the golf club head is at the address position; 
 a head CG elevation is measured, along the head vertical axis, between the head center of gravity and the ground plane; 
 a weight center elevation is measured, along the weight center elevation axis, between the head
 center of gravity and the ground plane; and 
 
 a weight center depth of the weight center is measured, parallel to the ground plane, between:
 the second intersection point at the intersection between the front plane and the ground plane; and 
 a fourth intersection point at an intersection between the weight center elevation axis and the ground plane; and 
 
 a depth ratio, defined by the weight center depth over the head CG depth, is less than 2.54; 
 
 and an elevation ratio, defined by the weight center elevation over the head CG elevation, is greater than 0.44. 
 
     
     
       2. The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the head CG elevation is less than approximately 28.5 mm. 
 
     
     
       3. The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the weight center elevation is less than approximately 12.5 mm. 
 
     
     
       4. The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the weight center depth is greater than approximately 99.7 mm. 
 
     
     
       5. The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the head CG depth is approximately 30 mm to approximately 102 mm. 
 
     
     
       6. The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the head CG depth is approximately 35 mm to approximately 102 mm. 
 
     
     
       7. The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the head CG depth is approximately 42 mm to approximately 102 mm. 
 
     
     
       8. The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the head CG depth is approximately 44 mm to approximately 102 mm. 
 
     
     
       9. The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the absolute value of the head CG height is less than or equal to 5.08 mm. 
 
     
     
       10. The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the head center of gravity is located between the head depth plane and the head sole portion. 
 
     
     
       11. The golf club head of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a CG performance ratio of less than or equal to 0.56, as defined by (a) 76.2 mm minus the face height, divided by (b) the head CG depth. 
 
     
     
       12. The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a clock grid comprises at least:
 a 12 o'clock ray; 
 a 3 o'clock ray; 
 a 4 o'clock ray; 
 a 5 o'clock ray; 
 an 8 o'clock ray; and 
 a 9 o'clock ray; 
 
 when the golf club head is at the address position over the ground plane, from a bottom view of the golf club head, the 12 o'clock ray is aligned with the strikeface centerpoint and orthogonal to a front intersection line between the loft plane and the ground plane; 
 the clock grid is centered along the 12 o'clock ray, at a midpoint between a front end of the head front portion and a rear end of the head rear portion; 
 the 3 o'clock ray extends towards the head heel portion; 
 the 9 o'clock ray extends towards the head toe portion; 
 a perimeter of the weight structure is at least partially bounded by the 4 o'clock ray and the 9 o'clock ray; and 
 a center of gravity of the weight structure is located between the 5 o'clock ray and the 8 o'clock ray. 
 
     
     
       13. The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the head body comprises a driver-type body; 
 a head volume of the golf club head is approximately 420 cc to approximately 470 cc; and 
 a head weight of the golf club head is approximately 185 grams to approximately 225 grams. 
 
     
     
       14. The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the weight structure comprises:
 a weight mass of approximately 2 grams to approximately 50 grams; and 
 a weight volume of approximately 1 cc to approximately 30 cc. 
 
     
     
       15. A golf club head comprising:
 a head body comprising:
 a head front portion; a head rear portion; 
 a head heel portion; a head toe portion; 
 a head sole portion; a head top portion; and 
 a hosel structure having a bore for receiving a golf club shaft, the bore having a hosel axis; 
 
 a face portion at the head front portion and comprising:
 a strikeface centerpoint; 
 a strikeface perimeter; and 
 a face height bounded by the strikeface perimeter, the strikeface centerpoint positioned at a midpoint of the face height; 
 
 a head center of gravity; 
 a weight structure located towards the sole portion and the rear portion of the head body, the weight structure having a weight center and protruding at least partially from an external contour of the head sole portion; 
 a head volume of the golf club head is approximately 420 cc to approximately 470 cc; and 
 a head weight of the golf club head is approximately 185 grams to approximately 225 grams; 
 wherein:
 when the golf club head is at an address position over a ground plane:
 a head vertical axis extends through the head center of gravity and is orthogonal to the ground plane; and 
 a head horizontal axis extends through the head center of gravity, and is orthogonal to the head vertical axis; 
 
 a loft plane of the golf club head is tangent to the strikeface centerpoint; 
 a front plane of the golf club head extends through the strikeface centerpoint, parallel to the hosel axis, and orthogonal to the ground plane; 
 a head depth plane extends through the strikeface centerpoint, parallel to the head horizontal axis and perpendicular to the loft plane; 
 a CG height axis extends through the head center of gravity and intersects the head depth plane perpendicularly at a first intersection point; 
 a head CG height of the head center of gravity is measured, along the CG height axis, between the head center of gravity and the first intersection point; 
 a head CG depth of the head center of gravity is measured, parallel to the ground plane and orthogonal to the front plane, between:
 a second intersection point located at an intersection between the front plane and the ground plane; and 
 a third intersection point located at an intersection between the head vertical axis and the ground plane; 
 
 the head CG depth is approximately 28 mm to approximately 102 mm; 
 the face height is approximately 33 mm to approximately 71 mm, measured parallel to the loft plane; 
 a weight center elevation axis extends between the weight center and the ground plane, being orthogonal to the ground plane when the golf club head is at the address position; 
 a head CG elevation is measured, along the head vertical axis, between the head center of gravity and the ground plane; 
 a weight center elevation is measured, along the weight center elevation axis, between the head center of gravity and the ground plane; and 
 a weight center depth of the weight center is measured, parallel to the ground plane, between:
 the second intersection point at the intersection between the front plane and the ground plane; and 
 a fourth intersection point at an intersection between the weight center elevation axis and the ground plane; and 
 
 a depth ratio, defined by the weight center depth over the head CG depth, is less than 2.54; 
 
 and an elevation ratio, defined by the weight center elevation over the head CG elevation, is greater than 0.44. 
 
     
     
       16. The golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the head CG elevation is less than approximately 28.5 mm. 
 
     
     
       17. The golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the weight center elevation is less than approximately 12.5 mm. 
 
     
     
       18. The golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the weight center depth is greater than approximately 99.7 mm. 
 
     
     
       19. The golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the head CG depth is approximately 42 mm to approximately 102 mm.